Site Search Navigation

Site Navigation

Site Mobile Navigation

DVD Extras From the Barbara Sinatra Interview

By Andrew Goldman June 3, 2011 12:59 pmJune 3, 2011 12:59 pm

Kitty Kelley got scads of attention for her 1991 book, “Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography,” by alleging that Frank Sinatra and Nancy Reagan carried on an affair for years, even during Reagan’s years in the White House. In Kelley’s book, Old Blue Eyes and Old Adolfo Suits would supposedly disappear “for three-or four-hour ‘private luncheons'” in the family quarters. At the time, some disputed the claim in print.

So it seemed curious that this week’s Talk subject, Sinatra’s widow, Barbara, would mention in her book, “Lady Blue Eyes,” Reagan and her husband’s “long distance telephone calls and their lunches together whenever they were in the same town.” Sinatra also provided me with a from-the-grave and somewhat outdated casting choice for the long-gestating Martin Scorsese biopic on her husband.

You wrote Nancy Reagan was “never a close friend, and it has nothing to do with the fact that she seemed to have a crush on my husband.” I feel like you’re trying to say that Nancy was trying to get her claws into your husband. Well, you know, she was married to the president so how far could she go?

I was surprised you brought up how often she would invite your husband to lunch considering that Kitty Kelley implied that there was some adult activity going on at their long lunches together. Kitty Kelley is a foolish woman.

I’ve been reading theories about who would play Sinatra in an upcoming Martin Scorsese film — Leonardo DiCaprio and James Franco have been brought up. I don’t remember when, but he said, “If there’s ever a movie made, I’d like for De Niro to do it.”

De Niro might be a little old. Is there anybody from the younger generation who has the chops and the looks. I don’t think anyone else can ever replace him. The closest I’d say is Michael Bublé. I don’t know.

Editor’s Note: In the original version of this post, Barbara Sinatra says that Kitty Kelley “tells lies.” That statement should not have been included in the interview without any corroboration or any response from Ms. Kelley.

Bruce Grierson wrote this week’s cover story about Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychologist who has conducted experiments that involve manipulating environments to turn back subjects’ perceptions of their own age.Read more…